Stephanie Sullivan: Review - Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing

TITLE: Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing (audiobook)

RATING: ★★★★

Summary (from Goodreads): “Hi, my name is Matthew, although you may know me by another name. My friends call me Matty. And I should be dead.”

So begins the riveting story of acclaimed actor Matthew Perry, taking us along on his journey from childhood ambition to fame to addiction and recovery in the aftermath of a life-threatening health scare. Before the frequent hospital visits and stints in rehab, there was five-year-old Matthew, who traveled from Montreal to Los Angeles, shuffling between his separated parents; fourteen-year-old Matthew, who was a nationally ranked tennis star in Canada; twenty-four-year-old Matthew, who nabbed a coveted role as a lead cast member on the talked-about pilot then called Friends Like Us. . . and so much more.

In an extraordinary story that only he could tell—and in the heartfelt, hilarious, and warmly familiar way only he could tell it—Matthew Perry lays bare the fractured family that raised him (and also left him to his own devices), the desire for recognition that drove him to fame, and the void inside him that could not be filled even by his greatest dreams coming true. But he also details the peace he’s found in sobriety and how he feels about the ubiquity of Friends, sharing stories about his castmates and other stars he met along the way. Frank, self-aware, and with his trademark humor, Perry vividly depicts his lifelong battle with addiction and what fueled it despite seemingly having it all.

Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing is an unforgettable memoir that is both intimate and eye-opening—as well as a hand extended to anyone struggling with sobriety. Unflinchingly honest, moving, and uproariously funny, this is the book fans have been waiting for.

REVIEW: Matty, Matty, Matty. *heavy sigh* I planned on reading Matthew's biography as soon as it was published, but I never got around to it, and listening to the audiobook now that he's no longer with us was such a bittersweet experience. Like millions of other people, I adore Friends, and Chandler Bing will always be my favorite character on the show, but now that I know the struggles Matthew went through with addiction, watching this beloved sitcom takes on a whole new meaning. Listening to Matthew tell his story made me laugh, it made my jaw hit the floor, and it also broke my heart. I literally sobbed when he described the day he found God and how that relationship altered his life, and the sincerity resonates so much in his voice that you can't help but feel it too. His biography was such an eye opener for me. I'm so thankful I've never struggled with alcohol and drug addiction, and I'm so glad Matthew was able to find some happiness and tranquility in his life before he passed away. I only wish his dream of having a wife and children had come true before that fateful day. Matthew, I pray your soul is at peace now. I can't think of anyone who deserves it more.